PITTSBURGH -- Reds shortstop Zack Cozart cleared an important hurdle toward being activated from the disabled list Thursday. Cozart, who is out with a sore right quadriceps, ran the bases without issue. He also took ground balls and batting practice.
Cozart has been bothered by the quad since mid-May and is on the DL for the second time. The rest he's had since July 26 has done his leg some good.
"[It's] probably better than since I hurt it in San Fran, which seems like a long time ago," Cozart said. "I ran today, didn't feel it at all. I wasn't running 100 percent, but I probably won't be running 100 percent the rest of the year, anyway. It felt way better, for sure."
Cozart is eligible for activation on Saturday when the Reds play the Cardinals.
"It's looking good. He's done a lot of work," Reds manager Bryan Price said. "I don't think it's unrealistic to think that he could be in the lineup at some point in the Cardinals series."
Cozart conceded that he likely won't be able to run 100 percent the rest of the season, but felt good enough to play again.
"There is no way to really test it until I get back in a game," Cozart said. "You can do as much hitting, defense, baserunning, but until you swing and run or make a diving play and try to get up, wherever that is, you can't really test it. I feel way better, that's for sure."
Mesoraco still not ready to catch
Reds catcher Devin Mesoraco hasn't been in the lineup since leaving Saturday's game at Miami with a sore left knee. Although Mesoraco has been available to pinch-hit, he's not able to get behind the plate yet.
Mesoraco felt good the day after catching a bullpen session Wednesday and doing some blocking drills.
"I get treatment and do some stuff. It doesn't bother me," Mesoraco said of his knee. "It's hard to simulate actually catching in a game. In the bullpen, it's a little bit different. It never bothered me doing anything other than catching in a game."
Price didn't expect Mesoraco to need a stint on the DL.
"It would only be if we ramped him up and the knee was bothering him to the point where catching seems unrealistic," Price said. "Then he becomes a luxury pinch-hitter, and I don't think that's what we want. We want him to be healthy, we want him to be on the field. I haven't got the impression that that's a point of concern to this point. I think it's gone a hair longer than I initially anticipated. I thought it might be a two-to-three-day deal. It looks like it'll be a little bit longer than that."
Feldman update
It's unlikely that pitcher Scott Feldman will need a rehab assignment before he is activated from the DL, Price said. Feldman, who has been out with right knee inflammation since he last pitched on July 17, felt good following Wednesday's simulated game.
"I think we'd like to get him back to Cincinnati and just have him move around," Price said. "From throwing and arm-strength and feel for pitches, he's in good shape. I don't think he's lost anything during this DL stint. We would like to see him just do some [pitchers' fielding practice]. Field his position, cover first, field some bunts. I would imagine that'll happen one of these next couple days here in Cincinnati."